Confusion
by Sita Seraph
Summary: Young Gohan has been taken and Goku can do nothing...8 years later, Gohan has returned...Unfortunately, he isn't going to welcome his family with open arms.
1. Taken

" Such a pity," the cold voice cooed." I was expecting a bit more of a fight.Oh well."

A small boy stood before the tyrant, " I don't care what you expected, Frieza!"

Frieza, the strongest being in the universe, laughed.Dark clouds surrounded the battleground, and an angry wind hissed around them.The mechanical tyrant's tail whipped, giving a slashing cutting sound within the howling air.The dark clouds stirred and thundered and the ground trembled.

Before the evil being stood a lone boy, where bodies of human warriors laid behind him.Dark black locks of hair ran into his hair and down his back, over a Saiyan suit and armor.Small compacted muscles stretched the blue suit and looking completely prepared against the corrupt warrior, bent on revenge.Dark black eyes, full of rage and hate, glared back at the red gleaming eyes.Frieza laughed at the boy again.

" You are no challenge against me, son of Goku!" Frieza boasted.Behind him, laid his ship, completely unarmed unlike the scorched land, craters, and fallen bodies.A man, greatly larger then Frieza stood on the top of the ship.

" Hurry up, Frieza!We haven't got all day!"

" Really Father!Have some patience!" Frieza yelled back at the man on the ship." Can't you see I'm trying to have a little fun!?"

The large character shrugged his wide shoulders and looked off with a bored sigh.Frieza returned his eyes upon the boy, Son Gohan.

" Well, what shall we do with you?" Frieza cooed again." Find you wasted, dead, beaten for your father to gawk at?"

" Do whatever you want!" Gohan screamed with rage.The wind picked up and howled louder. " You will get what's coming to you!"

" Oh?" Frieza said in mock shock." Why, I quiver in fear." He laughed loudly." Your daddy isn't coming, Gohan.But when he does, he'll find everything he knew gone.Especially you."

Gohan tensed up and brought his fists up to fight.

Frieza chuckled again, " No no, I don't think I'll kill you."

" Then what do you plan to do?"

Frieza smiled, " I think I'll take you.Goku never knowing what truly happened to his son…That is something I will enjoy."

" I'm not going anywhere with you!" Gohan screamed and powered up to prove his point.Frieza laughed at the attempt.

" You don't have a choice."

With that Frieza attacked.

*****

" Father!" Gohan screamed, kicking and biting, as people tried to pull him from the window.A star, a little ship, fell from the sky and into Earth's atmosphere just as Frieza's ship had left it.

" Father, no!Come back!" Gohan cried and bounded on the glass of the window, trying to reach back for the blue black surrounded by black." No, Father, No!"

" Its too late," Frieza mocked from somewhere in the room." He's not coming back for you.Full power to thrusters!Time to move far away from this pit hole."

" FATHER!!!!!!!" Gohan screamed.But his voice fell on deaf ears as Earth disappeared from sight.

*****

Goku flew as fast as he could from his ship to where very faint power levels were beginning to blink then black out.

" Hang on!" Goku cried out desperately at the nipping air, pushing back his blonde locks.Eyes full of worry and pain stood straight ahead, thoughts of dread traveling across the earth warrior's mind.

And before long, he was there.

Bodies littered the ground, bleeding and beaten.Piccolo, Vegeta…Krillin, Yamcha, Tein…Bulma!!!

" Guys!" Goku cried and flew to the ground full speed.Going to the side of the nearest warrior, Piccolo, he tried to hold the larger warrior up.Dilated eyes looked up at him, seeming confused of his whereabouts.

" Goku…?" Piccolo murmured.

" Yes, yes, its me!" Goku said, voice shaking and hands trembling. " What happened?Hold on, Piccolo, I'll get the dragon balls and heal you!"

" Gohan…" Piccolo muttered and raised a bloody head to his companion's shoulder and gripped the weird armor." Gohan…"

" Gohan?" Goku echoed, face twisted into confusion and shock.Piccolo's eyes began to close." What about Gohan!?" 

" They…got…Gohan…" Piccolo hissed with pain.

" No, no!Piccolo, stay with me!" Goku screamed franticly.

" Get…Gohan…" Piccolo whispered before he eyes shut.

" Piccolo!" Goku cried and shook his friend." Wake up, please wake up!"

The Namek didn't open his eyes.

Tears of pain lanced down the warrior's cheek, silent and soaking.Slowly, Goku put down his still friend and raised his eyes to the sky, cursing his weakness, cursing his being, and cursing his mistakes.

" Gohan…" Goku whispered, staring hard at the sky as his silent tears continued to fall.His entire fault.Suddenly, Goku just broke.

" GOHAN!!!!!!!"


	2. 8 Years Later...

8 Years Later…

Oh wow…I never thought I would get THIS much feedback.Sorry about the long wait, I had different ideas for this to come up and I had to choose one.Thank you for your patience and I REALLY hope that I get a lot of feedback again.

8 Years Later…

_ _

Goku smiled kindly, even though sadly, at the surrounding group of friends.Glasses of gold champagne rose into the air, catching the faint light of the fading sun as it set behind the mountain for another day.Goku, who sat within a large chair comforter, slowly rose his glass as well.Tired black eyes looked up in the kind faces of his childhood friends, and the new ones he had made along the way.

" Thank you, Bulma, Krillin.Tein, Yamcha.Master Roshi, Piccolo.Vegeta…And ChiChi." Goku again gave a sad smile, one that had shown on his face for years and replaced any cheerful grin or laugh the childlike adult once had." You really didn't have to do this."

" Another year, pal," Yamcha smiled." You made it another year."

" All thanks to Bulma here," Krillin said.

Bulma looked down at the short bald man, keeping her lovely glass of champagne out of Baby Trunks's reach, " Now, now.Goku has saved my butt for years now.I thought I might return the favor."

Tien chuckled from the corner of the room, " Right, Bulma."

Goku watched the tidings of his friends with dazed eyes.The old talk brought back awful memories.First the lost of his one and only son, Gohan.He had searched everywhere he could in the universe and found no trace of his ki anywhere.He had lost hope.He traveled to Namek that year also and wished back his friends.They had to feel the ache ness within his heart, the thought of failure across his mind.And just as he thought he might get over it, a deadly heart virus had struck him.If Bulma weren't alive…He would be in Heaven also.

Since that day, it had made him cripple for the rest of his life.

So it had come to pass that a stupid virus had beaten the great and almighty warrior.No more training, for the strain on his heart will surely kill him.He could only sit in his chair and watch the world pass on without him.Vegeta had now become the Earth's protector.

How much Goku felt so sorry for himself every single day.Eating away at him.He was a complete failure now…why did Bulma and the rest even bother with a weak Saiyan anymore?He was such a waste of their time.

Lost in thoughts, Goku had lowered his glass and stared out the window.Lost in thoughts, he remembered how much Gohan had looked up to him, had expected him to be there when all was lost.To come up with all the power when the clock was ticking and the destruction was a mere breathe away.

Now he was just a man who lost his breath from walking to the door and back to his chair.

*****

Bulma watched Goku's pitiful face with a sad eye of her own.She had watched her best friend begin to wither away every day, the pity, sorrow, and hate in his heart slowly eating away the cheerful man she knew.Instead, all was left was a hollow shell.Like a copy of the real thing and the clone was never completed.This was all the Z group had left of the noble and brave fighter.A man who grew more and more regretful each day.Bulma now wondered, had since two years ago, if it was such a good idea on saving her friend.For what she had done was only torture him in his self-guilt.Goku never ever deserved this.

Oh why did such horrible times come to pass upon the Earth's protectors?

*****

Staring out the window and not really seeing anything, Goku felt a familiar twinge in the back of his mind.Eyebrows falling out of curiosity, he called upon the familiar yet odd feeling in the back of his head.Feeling the sensation out, Goku closed his eyes and concentrated.Such an odd force…what was it…who was it…?

A…ki?Eyes opening almost immediately, Goku realized and recognized the odd level as a ki.How peculiar, he thought.He almost forgot what another's ki felt like after shoving the trait away as useless knowledge.Looking up, he searched the faces of warriors in the room and noted that they too had noticed the different ki in the area.Each one of their heads was tilted and looking outside with curious eyes.

Raising an eyebrow slowly, Goku did the same as they and his eyebrows immediately lifted upon seeing a dark form in the outline of the sun.Billows of clothing ruffled in the calm wind, the form of a definite man waiting to be acknowledged upon the residents within the house.

The sun blocking Goku's weary eyes, he lifted his hand and tried to recognize the man outside.

" Whose that?" Bulma asked.

Goku's heart leapt into his throat.The sun must have been playing tricks upon him.Who was that?


	3. Unnamed

Goku's eyes broke from the silhouette outside to the commotion that took place in his house.Vegeta had opened the door to outside, standing in the doorway, and glared out.A Namek, Piccolo, joined him from behind and the two shared quiet words to one another.Goku remembered how jealous he was when the two had set aside their differences and started being friends.He was quite use to being the center of attention but ever since his…disability…the two lone warriors were the only ones that could spar against one another and not kick the bloody shit of the them.Since then, the two had grown close…and it took awhile for Goku to be happy for his two proud and headstrong companions.

Now he was only jealous of the energy they possessed.

*****

After sharing a few calm words with the Namek, Vegeta stepped forward and left the cool home and into the heat outside.Even though the sun was setting behind small mountains, the heat that it left behind still mixed in the breeze and air.Approaching the solo form in the yard, Vegeta began noting how the cape, which was actually a very dark purple cloak, hid any detail of the size the man had, besides his height.The cloak, billowing in the gentle wind, came up as a hood and went over the warrior's head, hiding the eyes within the dark cavern.It was obvious this man didn't want to be noticed or remembered.

Stopping at a good distance, Vegeta slowly crossed his muscled arms over his chest, glaring evenly at the tall stranger.This stranger was an obvious warrior, from his high pitched, but wavering, ki and the callused hands that lay limply against the cloaked figure's sides.The reasons for the being's sudden appearance was a questioning one; any other enemy would have barged right in or start the fireworks…but this stranger seemed much more calm then past enemies.

" What do you want?" Vegeta growled, eyes narrowing to warn the stranger that his presence wasn't welcome.

" Who lives here?" The man asked.Vegeta frowned.His voice was very soft, so soft that Vegeta was sure that the man was trying to disguise his voice so no one would know who was who in future confrontations.Very interesting, Vegeta thought.He might have friends.

" Who cares?" Vegeta countered.

" Answer."

The voice had taken a drastic turn from a quiet voice to a soft command.The pitch though never changed.The man had a firm control on his emotions.But a chilly air shook Vegeta's body, warning him, telling him…the voice sounded awfully familiar.

" The Sons," Vegeta suddenly answered before he gave another thought. 

" A man named Goku?" The man asked.

" Yes…" Vegeta answered yet again.Breaking from the daze of memories that had temporally taken over him, he growled.He had a sudden distaste for this stranger.

" What's your name?"

" What's of a name, Vegeta?" The man asked. 

Vegeta started.Staring with wide eyes, Vegeta let his ki begin to pitch automatically as a threatening feeling overtook him.This man knew his name!Impossible…How was it possible?Could he have been watched for some time and not realized it?That was possible; he had been distracted lately.

If so, then why did the stranger ask about Kakarott?He should already know this information.He was always over here nowadays…

" Who are you?" Vegeta growled.

" That's a good question, Prince…" The stranger trailed off." I wish I knew."

*****

From within the house, Goku listened to the soft growls the Namek Piccolo made.Slowly rising from his chair with a soft grunt of frustration, Goku brushed away the helping, or blocking, hands of his friends and made his way painfully slow to Piccolo, whose whole concentration was on the conversation being held outside.

" Who is he?" Goku asked breathlessly, wincing with the pain in his heart from such an exercise.

Piccolo blinked and looked down at Goku with a concerned expression on his face, " Goku, go-."

" God Damnit, Piccolo!" Goku yelled in a breathless, furious tone." Just answer me!"

" We don't know," Piccolo sighed and returned his eyes outwards towards Vegeta as his ki raised another pitch." He won't answer."

" That's odd…" Goku said, leaning against the wall, eyes closing.

" Indeed.Maybe-," Piccolo started but suddenly stopped short and let out a loud growl.Goku looked outside just in time to watch a fist fly from the stranger and across Vegeta's temple.

*****

He was beginning to get tired of Vegeta's useless questions.He let his mind wander; drift off and heard Vegeta's words only faintly.He looked at the house and noticed the peeling paint with a small frown.

" Tell me…are."

Somebody should really start on his or her housekeeping, he thought, looking around with distaste.The grass needed to be watered.

" Are…listening?"

Quickly getting bored with the yard and house, he turned his eyes upwards and watched as a weird bird flew by with an odd shaped beak that curved at the end and large black feathers across his body, besides his legs.It looks like a big _Yahil_, he thought.

" Answer me…baka!"

Baka?The stranger blinked and looked back at Vegeta as he watched the Prince begin to raise his power level.He's threatening me.He wishes to strike me.

~ Threat. ~

Threat.

~ Defend. ~ 

Defend.

The man quickly raised his fist and struck out, hitting Vegeta upon his head and, to be more exact, his temple.The Prince crumbled immediately.

~ Kill him. ~

He raised his fist yet again to finish the job but a flash of green caught his eye.Turning his head slowly, it was immediately struck back with a rock hard fist.

" Back off," a new voice growled.

Somewhere deep within the cloaked figure's mind came a name…a memory…

A second fist slammed into his stomach.Gasping out in pain that the memory brought, plus the clash of a third and final hit to the head, the man strangled out one last word before collapsing to the ground.

" Piccolo…"


	4. Realization

The Z gang stood outside a closed off bedroom, waiting impatiently from the news inside.When the man had been knocked out, Piccolo had carried both the prince and the stranger inside.Then he, the knocked out men, and Goku had walked into the bedroom. Neither word nor movement could be made out behind the closed and locked door.

They were beginning to get a little worried.

*****

" So he's going to be okay?" Goku asked from the seat he had taken in the corner of the room.Walking around from his comforter, to the door, and to their guest bedroom had been too much of a workout for him.Immediately he had collapsed into the nearest chair, breaking into a sweat and had just now caught his breath enough to speak.Piccolo had wrapped Vegeta's head up in a bandage, which was lying in the single bed of the room, and moved to the stranger who lay in another bed.

" Yes," the Namek answered who was looking over the cloaked figure with a serious expression.Goku, eager to see who this newcomer was, began to rise from the chair in which he was seated in but Piccolo raised his stern gaze upon the last Son.  
" Stay down, Goku," Piccolo ordered.Goku complied with a sigh and plopped back in the chair, slugging down with a teenager expression on his face.Piccolo seemed stunned for moment as he watched Goku's face.Lately, it had been nothing but sadness trying to be joy.Like winter trying to be summer, never successful.But now, Goku had an almost childish pout on his face; reminding Piccolo of the child in an adult that they all knew was the real Goku.

Maybe the stranger's coming wasn't a horrible thing after all.

Keeping a blank face where a smile was about to erupt, Piccolo turned back to the sleeping man within the bed.Leaning down, he grabbed the black hood covering the man's upper face. Time to know what you look like, he thought with a devious smile upon his lips and pulled back the hood.

Piccolo knew his heart skipped at least three beats.

*****

" Goku!"

All the Z warriors jumped at the deep growl from within the room.Standing up from the floor where they had sprawled themselves, they watched as the door swung open wide and Piccolo ran out.

" Get the medicine!Goku is having an attack!"

Tein immediately reacted and ran to the kitchen on top speed. Krillin had ran into the bedroom to help his childhood friend and within milliseconds, Tein had returned, throwing the medicine into Piccolo's hand.The Namek returned into the bedroom hastily and ran to where Goku was leaning over on the chair, grasping his heart and screaming silently out most pain.

" Take this…" Piccolo ordered and forced the bottle of medicine to his friend's lip.At first he refused the life saving drink, choking on his own blood that rose into his throat.But slowly he drank it down, coughing and sputtering the two awful liquids in his throat.As soon as all of the medicine was down, along with the blood, Piccolo threw the bottle away carelessly.Goku gasped and panted, whispering out words too faint to hear.Krillin leaned forward to hear the words but they were being muttered to quickly, to soft, so Krillin resorted to the next best thing.Lip reading.

Krillin read Goku's lips, " Impossible…He's saying impossible.Piccolo…what's…?"

" There!" Goku rasped, pointing shakily at the bed.Krillin followed his best friend's finger to the still black form on top of the bed.Getting up from his knees at Goku's side, Krillin walked over to the small bed against the wall.The small man crawled onto the bed and peered over the dark clothing to the face lying against the pillow.

Dark brows fell heavily upon closed eyes, a small nose, dirty cheeks, and small pouty lips, that probably only looked like that in sleep, was all that Krillin saw at first.Black locks, bangs that grew across the forehead, and short hair waved in as a breeze from outside entered the stillroom.

Then Krillin had a small image just as the odd man tilted his head just as the slightest.The rage and hate within a small boy's eyes as he headed forward into battle while he stayed behind, wounded and dying.The pain, Krillin remembered, was even more worse then the hole in his gut as he heard the painful cries of a boy being torn apart and then dragged away…To where, they never ever knew.

Gohan.


	5. A Backwards Glance

Goku laid back heavily against his chair, breath finally coming at ease and the blood that had boiled up to his throat returne

Goku laid back heavily against his chair, breath finally coming at ease and the blood that had boiled up to his throat returned downwards.Now hazy eyes, filled with confusion, rested upon the still, easy-breathing man on the bed, who was completely oblivious to his wide-eyed child hood friend or the glooming green figure beside him.

Gohan…is it really you?Or has the loneliness finally come to my head…?

*****

" Is it really him, Piccolo?" Krillin asked.

The green Namek slowly rose from his crouching position and walked over to the bed.The open window brushed Piccolo's cape, the wind from outside entering the silent home.The Namek looked down at the innocent face, tilted away from him to lie on its other side.

Brow ridges lowered slowly.Gohan…

~" Piccolo?"

" Gohan."

" Can I ask you a question?"

" Hn."

" If…if I die…would you miss me?"

Piccolo slowly opened his eyes and looked down at the child, who had contently snuggled up to his side while he began to meditate.Gohan was fiddling with a piece of grass; his house clothes dirty from playing hard.

" Would you?" Gohan asked again and tilted his head upwards to look up at his best friend.The boy gave a faint smile, and though Piccolo never gave Gohan an answer, the boy knew it anyway. ~

Slowly, Piccolo reached out and brushed back Gohan's bangs.I thought you were dead…Piccolo thought, the mask on his face shadowing any feelings that his thoughts brought.When he was brought back from the dead, Piccolo awaited a cheery boy to run up to him, yelling his name with complete joy.

But the boy never ran up to him.

He didn't hear his name being called out.

It was then that Piccolo learned that no matter how hard Goku tried, he never found his son.Even after wishing back his friends, the Earth warrior continued to search and found nothing.No ki, no Frieza.It was like they had fallen within a black hole and were lost forever.

Piccolo lost the only friend he had ever had and it hurt.A lot.But he never admitted that to anyone, refused to.But somehow down the line, Vegeta had noticed the buried pain.

*****

" Come on, you weakling!" Vegeta taunted and dodged the green fist aimed for his shoulder. " Don't tell me that's EVERYTHING you have!"

Piccolo was frustrated.No matter how long he trained his heart out, no matter how long he meditated his soul, he could never beat Vegeta at their spars.And just to make it worse, Goku was having no luck finding Gohan.

Gohan…

Piccolo snapped out of his thoughts when a fist slammed into his face, then to his stomach.Heaving over the loaded punch on his stomach, the Namek gasped silently.

" This is humiliating," Vegeta sneered and tossed Piccolo onto the ground.The Namek was ready to jump up and attack the Saiyan but a ki ball had mysteriously appeared in front of his face.Smartly, Piccolo backed off.

" What's wrong with you?" Vegeta asked, arms crossed and controlling the blue ball of energy to stay in front of the alien's face.

" Nothing," Piccolo growled.

" Save it," Vegeta snapped." I've been you fighting better with that worthless brat of Kak-."

" If I hear ONE more negative thing about Gohan coming from YOUR mouth, Vegeta, I swear-!"

" Swear to kill me?" Vegeta laughed." You can't even land a punch on me, so save your threats.Is that what has you worked up?Kakarott's brat?"

Piccolo chose to growl instead of answer.What business was it of Vegeta's?He was just a punching bag anyway; a replacement while Goku was searching the galaxy for his son.

" So that is it.Probably dead by now.Frieza probably needed something to eat on his long trip."

Piccolo's growl intensified and if he could, he would have jumped up and punched that smug smirk off the Saiyan's face.How much he HATED him!His smirk, his laugh, HIS HAIR.

" Did he use to peel off your skin and eat it to make all those scars appear, Vegeta?" Piccolo sneered with hatred and anger dripping from his tone.Vegeta stopped laughing, freezing, and his smirk disappeared.He glared at the Namek, his arms tightened with controlled rage.

Good, Piccolo thought with a tight smile.At least his ugly smirk is off that ugly face of his.

" What would YOU know, Namek?" Vegeta fused, black eyes blazing with rage." You know NOTHING."

" But Gohan does, you tightass jerk!" Piccolo pointed out." You THINK Frieza is going to give 'Kakarott's brat' a free galaxy trip and then nicely see him home?!"

The outburst again froze the proud prince.Eyes that were filled with fire now turned to ice and the tense body seemed to calm down some.Tight jawed, Vegeta shook his head then snorted.

" I don't care," Vegeta scuffed, turning his nose up into the air.

" You dismissing me now, Vegeta?" Piccolo snapped." I'm gladly like to go, as soon as you remove this god damn ki from my face."

With a snarl, Vegeta did as ordered and the ki ball went flying into some unknown distance.The Namek picked himself, brushed off his tattered clothes and turned away angrily.When he had taken a few steps, the Prince called back to him.

" See you tomorrow, Namek."

Piccolo looked back at the Prince and caught the faint smirk on his lips again before they both turned away nsync and took into the air.

*****

It had been that Piccolo was able to get over Gohan…with the strange help from Vegeta.The fighting and slowly the talking.Sharing pasts, feelings.Gohan had been replaced with someone he could more relate to but he had never ever forgot his first friend.

And now that friend had returned, as a man.The strange connection was still there, Piccolo felt it buried down deep inside him.The connection of friendship, of a bond they had made together.He somehow felt that Gohan never forgot him either

" Look!" Krillin shouted, breaking through the Namek's thoughts." He's waking up."

Unconsciously, Piccolo held his breath.


	6. Awakening

_"You like that, baby?"_

_No…_

_"ANWSER ME!"_

_Please…stop…_

_"Yes, cry you worthless monkey!!  You'll pay Goku…YOUR SON WILL PAY!"_

_Father…where are you…? Where are you…when I need you…?_

_- SMACK. SLAM. THUD. –_

_"Worthless…Cry.  Yes, cry, all of you cry."_

_No more pain…please…_

_"I'll give you something to cry about!!!"_

_OH, KAMI, NO!!!!!_

~ Tears are worthless. ~

Worthless.

~ Blood is worthy. ~

Blood.

~ Blood tastes wonderful. ~

Wonderful.

~ Can you taste his blood now? ~

Yes.  Oh, yes.

*****

Goku pushed himself more off the chair to lean forward as he watched with wide eyes as the man…his son…began to stir.

Oh Kami, Gohan, please say you were all right…what did he do to you?  Did he do anything to do to you…? Are you still…my Gohan?

Holding his breath, Goku watched as the boy slowly open his eyes…and his wife, ChiChi rush into the room.

*****

Gohan slowly opened his eyes and as always, watched everything in a blur when he woke up.  A ceiling above his head, two forms at his bed, two in other parts of the room.  A small tired sigh escaped the warrior's lips and he let his eyes slip close again.  So tired today…I wish I could just go to sleep.

But, of course, the nagging feeling of having his every movement watched was slightly making him irritated…and uneasy.  You would think, that after being watched almost every moment of his life, as far back as he could remember, that he would be use to it…and, well, he had.  But these stares that he felt were…different.  Like…Oh, he didn't know how to describe them.  Expecting?  Curious?  Perhaps, they thought he was going to kill them all…He stifled a chuckle before it escaped his throat.

"Gohan?"

Almost immediately, the warrior's eyes snapped open to first look at the ceiling then lift his head to look at the source of the person who _knew_ his name.  It was impossible…how did they know who he was?

A woman was the one person who called out to him.  Shockingly, she looked slightly familiar but her hair…eyes…face…was different.  But the aura of the human creature was definitely familiar. Black hair cascaded down her back and shoulders, curling around the end.  The light from overhead caught the faint dark locks.  Old age was going wary on her face and visible parts of her hands.  Her eyes, which were black too, held a sort of private misery, or sadness, within their depths.  This woman had been hurt, and badly, so that her physical body was taking the toll.  She could not have been very old either but worrying, crying, and even sickness had drowned all the color and youth from her face.

"Oh, my…Gohan…" the woman whispered, shaky hands coming up to cover her pale lips.  Gohan watched, beginning to get uneasy under the dark gaze boring into his face, as the woman began to weep.  Tears that had obviously been held back for a very long time, spilled lose and with a muffled cry, the woman ran forward.  Gohan started to get up and away from harms way but only made it as far as sitting up before the woman tackled him.

Or hugged him.

Gohan watched in pure shock as her arms circled his neck and brought him close against her tiny and frail body.  Black locks curtained them both and Gohan looked down at her quivering shoulders as she cried into his neck.

For once in his dark life, Gohan was completely dumbfounded.

"Excuse me…" Gohan said in a meek tone as he tried to interrupt the woman's tears.  "Excuse me…"

This, of course, didn't work.  Gohan wondered just how drastic he would have to get to beat the woman off of him.

"Gohan…?"

Gohan's head jerked up as yet _another person called out his name.  Shadowing him from the day's light, was a very large, very mean looking, very scary, and did he mention large, green man standing before him.  From this view, he looked as if his very shoulders were Gohan's entire length…_

Gohan blinked as his groggy mind registered just who he was.

"Hey!" Gohan said in astonishment and angry tone.  "You're the one who knocked me out!"

The green man nodded slowly.  Gohan made a low growl, angry with himself, as well as this man, for being so easily countered.  His mind had been extremely distracted lately but how could he have let his guard down so low to let this low powered man to attack him and actually win the brawl?  Gohan's fury rose.  Stupid baka! Gohan fumed inside.  You're worthless!  Pathetic!

Unconsciously, Gohan's hands tightened upon the blanket beneath him.

Unconsciously, Gohan glared daggers at the green monster.

Unconsciously, Gohan's power level rose.

Unconsciously, Gohan was completely out of control.

"Gohan?"

Gohan's head jerked to the side as an older man rose from his seat.  Defeat vibrated off this man, a man who had grown tired and weary of life.  A great burden, Gohan noted, had been heavily thrown upon this soldier and he never fully recovered…or ever got rid of the sickening weight on his shoulders.

Locks of black hair went everywhere upon the man's head, as if it had grown out of control and not longer really kept well.  The man's face was young and well, but there was a second heavy sadness in the depths of black eyes.  The loss that this man went through went deep, Gohan noted.  Most likely a heavy price…for Gohan did not sense one bit of strength that filled his muscle and toned body.

"Gohan…Gohan, its Dad…" The man said softly.  "Its Goku…"

Gohan's eyes suddenly grew wide.

~ Goku .~

Yes.

~ Kill him! ~

Y-Yes.

Gohan's eyes slowly relaxed and he looked away for a long moment, looking at the heavy setting sun.  Gohan heard his father breathed a sigh of relief, a sigh of relaxation.

This was a bad choice.

Suddenly, Gohan launched from the bed, intent on slicing Goku's throat open.


End file.
